The Madrid Open organizers have issued an apology to the women’s doubles finalists of this year’s tournament, after receiving criticism for not allowing players to make speeches at the trophy ceremony. The tournament’s singles world number three, Jessica Pegula, expressed her disappointment on Sunday, stating that the finalists were not given the opportunity to address their fans. Victoria Azarenka, who played with Beatriz Haddad Maia and won the championship against Pegula and Coco Gauff with a score of 6-1, 6-4, tweeted that she found it difficult to explain to her son, Leo, why she was not given a chance to speak.
Apology and Protocol Review
The men’s doubles finalists, on the other hand, were allowed to make speeches following their match the day before. Tournament CEO Gerard Tsobanian apologized to the players and fans who expected more from the Madrid Open and admitted that not allowing the women’s doubles finalists to address their fans at the end of the match was unacceptable. Tsobanian assured that they are working with the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) to review their protocols, and the mistake would never happen again.
Aside from the denial of speeches, Madrid Open organizers also faced criticism for other issues. They dressed their ball girls in short skirts and small tops during the prominent men’s matches, which was deemed inappropriate. Moreover, they started a row over the size disparity of the birthday cakes given to the tournament’s top players. Carlos Alcaraz, the home favorite and successful title defender, received a gargantuan cake after his semifinal victory on Friday, while Aryna Sabalenka, the eventual women’s champion, received a much smaller cake.
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